On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling atBaranasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then the lay followerDhammadinna, together with five hundred lay followers,approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat downto one side. Sitting to one side, the lay follower Dhammadinnathen said to the Blessed One: “Let the Blessed One, venerablesir, exhort us and instruct us in a way that may lead to ourwelfare and happiness for a long time.”

"Therefore, Dhammadinna, you should train yourselves thus:‘From time to time we will enter and dwell upon thosediscourses spoken by the Tathagata that are deep, deep inmeaning, supramundane, dealing with emptiness.’ It is in such away that you should train yourselves.”

“Venerable sir, it is not easy for us – dwelling in a homecrowded with children, enjoying Kasian sandalwood, wearinggarlands, scents, and cosmetics, receiving gold and silver – fromtime to time to enter and dwell upon those discourses spoken bythe Tathagata that are deep, deep in meaning, supramundane,dealing with emptiness. As we are established in the five trainingrules, let the Blessed One teach us the Dhamma further.”“Therefore, Dhammadinna, you should train yourselves thus:‘We will possess confirmed confidence in the Buddha... in theDhamma... in the Sangha.... We will possess the virtues dear tothe noble ones, unbroken... leading to concentration.’ It is insuch a way that you should train yourselves.”

“Venerable sir, as to these four factors of stream-entry taught bythe Blessed One, these things exist in us, and we live inconformity with those things. For, venerable sir, we possessconfirmed confidence in the Buddha, the the Dhamma, and theSangha. We possess the virtues dear to the noble ones,unbroken... leading to concentration.”

“It is a gain for you, Dhammadinna! It is well gained by you,Dhammadinna! You have declared the fruit of stream-entry.”~ S 55.53, (Bhikkhu Bodhi trans.)

To study is to know the texts,To practice is to know your defilements,To attain the goal is to know and let go.

On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling atBaranasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then the lay followerDhammadinna, together with five hundred lay followers,approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat downto one side. Sitting to one side, the lay follower Dhammadinnathen said to the Blessed One: “Let the Blessed One, venerablesir, exhort us and instruct us in a way that may lead to ourwelfare and happiness for a long time.”

"Therefore, Dhammadinna, you should train yourselves thus:‘From time to time we will enter and dwell upon thosediscourses spoken by the Tathagata that are deep, deep inmeaning, supramundane, dealing with emptiness.’ It is in such away that you should train yourselves.”

“Venerable sir, it is not easy for us – dwelling in a homecrowded with children, enjoying Kasian sandalwood, wearinggarlands, scents, and cosmetics, receiving gold and silver – fromtime to time to enter and dwell upon those discourses spoken bythe Tathagata that are deep, deep in meaning, supramundane,dealing with emptiness. As we are established in the five trainingrules, let the Blessed One teach us the Dhamma further.”“Therefore, Dhammadinna, you should train yourselves thus:‘We will possess confirmed confidence in the Buddha... in theDhamma... in the Sangha.... We will possess the virtues dear tothe noble ones, unbroken... leading to concentration.’ It is insuch a way that you should train yourselves.”

“Venerable sir, as to these four factors of stream-entry taught bythe Blessed One, these things exist in us, and we live inconformity with those things. For, venerable sir, we possessconfirmed confidence in the Buddha, the the Dhamma, and theSangha. We possess the virtues dear to the noble ones,unbroken... leading to concentration.”

“It is a gain for you, Dhammadinna! It is well gained by you,Dhammadinna! You have declared the fruit of stream-entry.”~ S 55.53, (Bhikkhu Bodhi trans.)

This must be before she went forth and became fully awakened. Obviously she was a powerful influence within her community.

Thanks Bodom.

Gabe

"Beautifully taught is the Lord's Dhamma, immediately apparent, timeless, of the nature of a personal invitation, progressive, to be attained by the wise, each for himself." Anguttara Nikaya V.332

Being an ardent sutta enthusiast, I agree. The depth of Ananda's gift to the world is mind blowing. He also gets my vote because he comes across as so human, a link between the highest and the rest of the masses. I suppose this is due to Ananda not becoming an arhant for so long yet still sustaining a mind of love, the tears at the Buddha's death are also a reminder to me that you can still be well on the path and still be overwhelmed at times.

I like all the disciples of the Buddha.Each disciple has unique quality that inspires me and moves me.However, I believe that I owe the greatest debt to Ananda.Without him, many of the great discourse of our kind teacher would have been lost forever.

Sariputta - for transmitting the abhidhammaUpali - for transmitting the vinayaAnuruddha - for being there for the monks and devas at time of the Buddha's demise, for urging Ananda to attain arahatship so he could attend the first council and actually recite all the suttas, and for being in charge of transmitting the anguttara.

---The trouble is that you think you have time------Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe------It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---

I would have to say Angulimala. A mass murderer who turned his life around upon hearing the Dhamma.

My favorite part of the Angulimala Sutta:

Then the robber Angulimala spoke this verse to the Blessed One:

'While walking the recluse says "I have stopped," when I have stopped, he says I have not stopped. Recluse, explain this to me, how have you stopped and I have not stopped.'

'Angulimala I have stopped for good, I have given up harming living beings. You are not restrained towards living beings, therefore I have stopped and you have not stopped.'

Then and there the robber threw away his weapons into the depths of the forest; He fell at the feet of the Blessed One and begged for the going forth.

The Blessed One, the sage with compassion, for the whole world, Gave him the going forth saying: 'Come O! bhikkhu!' and that was his going forth.

"He, the Blessed One, is indeed the Noble Lord, the Perfectly Enlightened One;He is impeccable in conduct and understanding, the Serene One, the Knower of the Worlds;He trains perfectly those who wish to be trained; he is Teacher of gods and men; he is Awake and Holy. "--------------------------------------------"The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, Apparent here and now, timeless, encouraging investigation, Leading to liberation, to be experienced individually by the wise. "